Improvement in car-couplings



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. BUSHEY, OF RIPON, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT lN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 184.332, dated November 14, 1876 application filed' June 6, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. BUsHEY, of Ripon, in the county of Fond du Lac and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,

Y reference being had to the accompan yin g drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a top plan. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig. 3 is a front view.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the igures.

This invention relates to that class of carcouplings by which the coupling is effected automatically by the cars'coming in contact with'each other; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, whereby a durable and efficient coupling is produced, as hereinat'termore fully explained.

A is the front platform of a car, to the under side of which are affixed strong beams B, by which the draw-head is formed. Within this are arranged the buffer O and coupling hook D. The former consists of a square bar of steel or iron, of the configuration shown more clearly in Fig. l-z. e., consisting of the centrally-solid buffer-stem, to one 'side of which is rigidly affixed the stationary hook O1, and on the side opposite to this hook is a slot,

(denoted by c.) Within this slot is pivoted the swinging coupling-hook D, in such a manner that it may readily move up or down. The front part of the buffer-stem C has a horizontal slot, d, perforated vertically, so as to admit of the insertion of a pin, c, when it is desired to use my improved automatic carcoupling with cars having the ordinary oldfashioned linkand -pin coupling. The rear .part ot' the buffer C has a tenon, (denoted by 02,) which passes through a coiled or rubber spring, (denoted by E.) To the rear side of this spring is affixed a plate, F, which slides in slots or recesses (denoted by f) on the inner side ot' the draw-head B.v Plate F is perforated, the tenon U2 passing through the perforation, and is held in its position and prevented from slipping through it by a retain-- ing-pin, g. It is obvious that any suitable spring may be used in order to impart elasticity tothe buffer or coupling hooks. To the front part of the platform are pivoted two levers, G and Gf, having their fulcrums at h and It', respectively. `The ends of these levers are slotted,`as shown at t', and within theseslots slides a bolt, k, carrying the chain l, which passes from bolt lc down to the pivoted coupling-hook D, so that by moving either lever downward in the direction of the arrow, the coupling-hook D on either'platt'orm will be raised. The lever G on each platform may be secured `in its-raised position by means of a pinor hook, g', wheueverit is desired to leave the cars uncoupled.

From the foregoing description, and by ref-- C1 opposite, and vice versa. These hooks being of the configuration shown in Fig. B-t. e., with pointed and beveled frontseach of the movable hooks D will be graduallyraised by the bevel of the stationary hook O1, with which it engages until the end ofthe bevel is reached, when thehooks will drop into each other, and the coupling is effected. In order to uncouple the cars, levers G G are depressed, which may either be done from the sides of the cars, from the platform, or from the roof, by levers and chains or rods suitably arranged, in the manner well understood. v

The advantages of my improved automatic car-coupling are, rst, cheapness of construction, its essential parts being onlyl two in number-viz., the buffer and stationary hook, which are cast in one piece, and the swinging hook, which is pivoted in recess c. Second, it may be used upon or affixed to any car with but little difticulty, and its construction is such as to render it exceedingly strong and durable. Third, accidents by accidental uncoupling or by the breaking otl the hooks are almostimpossible, for the reason that the cars have two couplings, each of the hooks C1 and D constituting an independent coupling with the corresponding hooks of the opposite car, so that if either one hook should break the coupling would still be complete by means of the other hook. Y y l Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire torsecure by Letters Patent ofthe United States- The combination of the beams B B, buffer C, having hook G1 rigidly attached, verticallyswinging hook D, chain l, sliding bolt 7c, and

levers G G', all combined and arranged for' operation substantially in the manner and for the purpose shown and specified. l l Invtestimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of, two Witnesses. WILLIAM ALBERT Witnesses:

JOHN H. BUSH,

THOMAS HARRIS.

BUSHEY. 

